


how to court someone without them actually knowing: a guide by draco malfoy.

by daffodilscent



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Boys In Love, Draco Malfoy In Love, Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter In Love, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Good Draco Malfoy, Harry Potter In Love, Hogwarts Eighth Year, Idiots in Love, Light Angst, Love Confessions, M/M, Mutual Pining, Oblivious Harry Potter, Pining Draco Malfoy, Pining Harry Potter, Post-Battle of Hogwarts, Post-War, Redeemed Draco Malfoy, Slow Burn, draco’s also an idiot in love, harry’s just a clueless idiot in love, idiots to lovers honestly, just harry and draco being good old idiots in love, kinda? but not really, like really light angst, no beta we die like my sanity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-13
Updated: 2020-09-13
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:49:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,328
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26442238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daffodilscent/pseuds/daffodilscent
Summary: still, as he watched the blonde hair boy walk up to him, a shy smile on his lipsthat oh god, made him look so adorable and soft that harry just wanted to cup his face in his hands and snog him senseless right then and thereand a light blush on his cheeks, asking harry “how do you court someone without being dramatic and over the top?”– well, harry couldn’t quite say no, couldn’t he?or, where draco asks harry for advice on how to court harry himself, and harry’s a bit too oblivious to realise draco’s actually referring to him.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter
Comments: 20
Kudos: 331





	how to court someone without them actually knowing: a guide by draco malfoy.

**Author's Note:**

> pretty obvious but just in case: a disclaimer that i don’t own harry potter at all and all rights go to j.k rowling.
> 
> with that being said, enjoy :)

the first time draco came to harry, he felt an unexplainable ache tearing at his chest. really, harry didn’t know why he felt hurt. him and draco were friends– _were they?_ – that’s what he considered at least. draco had come up to him one night and apologised as sincerely as the slytherin could, fumbling over his words and holding a crumpled up parchment paper in his hand, his eyes occasionally darting to it so he could recite out the contents.

harry found it nice actually, finding out that draco had gone to about almost the entire hogwarts, apologising to everyone he had hurt whether it be physically or verbally. harry had been the last one on his list. in all honesty, harry found it quite endearing to see draco fumble on his words, a light tint of pink dusting his pale cheeks, _but he wouldn’t tell anyone that especially to draco._

in some sort of way to embrace _”inter-house unity”_ as professor mcgonagall had suggested, harry and draco became friends now that they weren’t at each other’s throats constantly. harry would join draco at the library sometimes as they studied, there were some insults and light banter thrown here and there, but the two knew there weren’t any malicious intent behind it anymore. even parkinson and zabini had started warming up to the rest of them, which was a huge shock considering how hostile the two had been to the other houses at the start of the year.

so indeed, _yes harry did consider him and draco to be friends_ thus it’s acceptable for draco to come to him for advice. it wasn’t weird nor was it out of the blue. they were friends now, that’s what friends do. but then again, harry was just a boy. and having the boy you’ve been hopelessly pining after for longer than you’d like to admit come to you for _love advice_ to court someone who evidently was not _you_ hurt quite a bit.

still, as he watched the blonde hair boy walk up to him, a shy smile on his lips _that oh god, made him look so adorable and soft that harry just wanted to cup his face in his hands and snog him senseless right then and there_ and a light blush on his cheeks, asking harry “how do you court someone without being dramatic and over the top?”– well, harry couldn’t quite say no, couldn’t he?

%%%%%

apologising to almost the entirety of hogwarts was one of the hardest things draco ever had to do. seriously, swallowing up his pride? that wasn’t what malfoys do. but it was nice to have people forgive him and put the past behind, and so draco mustered up all his courage and apologised.

when he had gone up to harry– a speech and all ready– he was surprised to have harry forgive him before he could even finish. but then again, it was harry potter. who had a heart far too nice for his own good. thus, the two shook on it and agreed to put their past behind it– arch-nemesis rivalry and all. sooner or later without even realising, harry and draco had become friends. they’d study in the library together sometimes and draco would help harry out with his potions homework here and there. once, draco had even helped harry finish up his homework when the green-eyed boy accidentally fell asleep and when harry had asked him about it, draco merely shrugged and said “you’re welcome.” before walking away.

as the year went on, draco realised that he’d started liking the other boy’s presence near him. he’d catch himself staring at the green-eyed boy at the gryffindor table from across the great hall. and when harry would sometimes notice and send a small wave and a smile to draco’s way, draco could only blush, wave back and turn away. pansy and blaise would look at him, an eyebrow raised and a knowing smirk on their faces, draco would scowl at them and divert his focus to his food and anything, _anything,_ but the stupid green-eyed boy with an absolute mess of a hair that made draco’s stomach turn and fill with butterflies.

“you like potter, don’t you?” pansy had asked him one day when they were both in the slytherin common room, a book in draco’s hand. draco’s eyes had widened before he huffed, feeling his face grow hot. “is it obvious?” there was no point in trying to hide it from pansy anyway. that girl knew him inside out which annoyed draco sometimes, knowing that there’s nothing in his life that pansy wouldn’t find out.

pansy only laughed before sitting next to draco and patting his back. “you should tell him. i think he fancies you too. maybe court him or something, malfoy style.”

“i don’t think he’d appreciate me courting him the way a pureblood would. i don’t think he fancies me at all.”

from the corner of his eye, he saw pansy roll hers. “salazar, you’re pretty slow, aren’t you? have you seen the way that git looks at you sometimes? honestly, i don’t know what’s even taking the both of you so long to just admit that you like each other.”

“you really think he fancies me?”

“think? everyone knows, dragon. it’s pretty much a fact at this point.” 

draco startles at blaise suddenly walking in and settling at the armchair near the fireplace. pansy merely nods at blaise’s statement. “seriously draco, all you have to do is court him.”

blaise snorts. “you could literally go up to him and tell him you’d want him in bed and i think that git would say yes in a heartbeat.”

that made draco redden.

“how? how do i court him?” draco asked, his voice soft and meek. pansy’s eyes softened. “do it the way you’d normally court someone? maybe a little less over the top, though. i don’t think dramatics are potter’s thing.”

at that, blaise straightened up. “i think i know a way.”

%%%%%

draco took in a deep breath, peering around the hallway and seeing harry talk with his friends. “you sure this will work?” he asked, turning to blaise and pansy. blaise merely snorted and put a reassuring hand on draco’s shoulder. “what better way to court him than literally ask him _how_ to court him? potter’s smart, he’ll figure out that you’re referring to him in no time.” pansy only nodded before holding draco’s hands in hers, giving it a tight squeeze. “good luck, dragon.”

%%%%%

“potter!”

harry whipped around, seeing draco walk up to him. “what’s that ferret coming over for?” ron had asked and hermione had smacked him lightly, before pulling ron away to give the two some privacy, not before sending harry a wink that certainly made him blush. “malfoy? what’s up?” harry noticed the faint blush on draco’s pale cheeks, the shy smile on his lips and heard draco’s question loud and clear. 

honestly, harry was pretty stupid for agreeing to help draco to court someone. someone that wasn’t _him_. but he saw how excited draco had looked if the little bounce in the way the latter walked didn’t show it, and harry didn’t have the heart to say no.

the second time draco came to him, harry had already braced himself for it. hermione and ron certainly wasn’t any help when he told them about his inner conflict, the both of them only exchanging knowing glances before telling harry, “don’t worry.” harry had no idea what they had meant by that.

“so, courting someone? are you going to tell me who?”

draco had only smiled before shaking his head. “no. not yet, at least. but you’re pretty witty, aren’t you potter? you could figure it out.” 

“could you tell me about her?”

“ _him._ but sure.”

harry only choked on his own saliva after that. _malfoy was gay?_ “what? didn’t take me for the gay type?” draco had asked, raising an eyebrow. harry quickly shook his head. “no, just surprised. i’m not homophobic, i swear. i like both too, actually. i sway both ways. men and women–“ draco laughed at harry fumbling over his words. harry thought that he’d want to hear him laughing every day. “just messing with you, potter.”

draco smiled bashfully, looking down at his feet. “he’s a good guy. sometimes, i think i don’t deserve him. that i don’t deserve him and everything that he is because i’m me and he’s, well, _him_. but i see him laughing with his friends sometimes, or when he smiles at me in the corridors or at classes, and i find myself wishing that i could see it every day of my life. he’s a mess honestly, literally, but i find it endearing. he’s an idiot though, constantly throwing himself at danger firsthand which makes me so worried i could throw up. but i want to be enough for him. i want to show him that i can make him happy if he’d let me.”

harry heard his heart break because, _for merlin’s sake, who wouldn’t have their heart break listening to the boy they like talk about another with stars in his eyes?_. harry pushed back the tears. “sounds like a great guy and if he doesn’t see your worth, then he’s a bloody dumb git.”

draco laughed. harry cleared his throat and fiddled with his hands, ignoring the way his heart tightened at the fact of draco laughing, kissing, smiling at someone that wasn’t him. _a price to pay for falling in love with someone unreachable, huh?_

“you could give him some of his favourite snacks? shows him that you care in a way.” harry suggested. “really?” harry nodded. he watched as draco smiled– beamed, from ear to ear– as he thanked harry and ran off, leaving harry to smile bitterly. _stupid malfoy._

%%%%%

it’d been two weeks since harry had given his first suggestion. harry had been on the lookout ever since, taking extreme focus into whoever draco was interacting with to find out who the _stupid, lucky git_ was. it didn’t help that ron and hermione weren’t helping him trying to figure it out. they just kept on exchanging glances with each other and laughed to themselves. _literally, what’s so funny about harry pining after malfoy anyway?_

harry was on his way to potions when draco had caught up with him, a box in hand. “potter! here!” draco shoved the box into harry’s hands. “what is it?” draco only grinned. “treacle tart! didn’t spot you in the great hall today, so i packed some extra for you. you like it, don’t you?” harry only nodded, fighting a blush from spreading across his cheeks. _he packed treacle tart for me because i wasn’t at the great hall. he packed treacle tart for me because he knew it was my favourite._ harry’s heart lurched with happiness. “thanks, malfoy.” draco smiled, dismissing it as if it’s nothing before asking him if they could walk together to potions.

and if anyone noticed the way harry smiled like an idiot the entire day, nobody commented on it.

%%%%%

draco hated wandering around hogwarts at night. really, he hated it. there was just something so eerie about the place. but harry had suggested a week ago that he should indulge in something that his crush liked to show that he cared. and what better way than to ask harry to play a quick quidditch game with him? so here draco was, in his quidditch robes at the quidditch pit with his broom, waiting for the stupid green-eyed boy to arrive. _seriously, the things he did for potter._

harry had arrived a bit later, clearly panting. “sorry i’m late, bumped into some prefects on the way.” draco only smiled. they had agreed on a quick round of quidditch, first to get the snitch wins. it was exhilarating to be able to fly around with potter, watching the boy laugh as they darted around, trying to catch the snitch. it made draco’s heart swell seeing the other boy so happy.

harry had won in the end by a close margin. the two boys ended up on the pitch, laying on the grass, watching the night sky and the stars. it was serene, calming in a way, to be laying on the grass with your ex arch-nemesis beside you. harry ignored the way his heart beat faster every time draco’s fingers brushed against his. “how’s it going anyway? the courting?” harry had asked, turning around to get a better look at draco.

harry noted the way draco’s eyes instantly lit up at the mention of the mysterious boy. he saw the way draco smiled, the way his ears turned pink even in the dark. “good, i think. i took your advice and gave him his favourite food the other day. it went well.” harry smiled, that familiar sting in his heart returning. “that’s good.”

“i don’t think he knows yet, though.”

“that you’re courting him?”

draco nodded. “he’s a bit of an oblivious git.”

harry laughed at that. “he’ll come around, i’m sure of it. do you call him by his last name too?”

draco nodded again.

“maybe start calling him by his first name? to get comfortable with him.”

draco smiled before getting up and brushing the grass off his robes. harry ignored the way his heart swelled when draco helped him up.

“i’ll think about it. see you around, potter.”

harry smiled, the best smile he could come up with, because he wasn’t the boy draco had fallen in love with. no, instead he’s giving draco advice on how to court someone else. _what kind of sick and twisted love story was this?_

and as harry watched draco walk away, he muttered to himself. “see you around, draco.”

%%%%%

“how’s the courting going, oh dear one?” pansy asked which prompted a soft smile from draco. “it’s going good, i guess. he still hasn’t figured it out though. i’m afraid he still thinks i’m courting someone else.” at this, blaise raised an eyebrow. “did you do anything to make him think this?” draco shook his head. “not really, i don’t think so. he suggested to start calling him by his first name the other day which i did, but he still didn’t figure it out.”

_draco had slammed his books down in front of harry at the library the day after their midnight quidditch match, earning a light-hearted glare from the other boy._

_“hi harry.”_

_at this, harry had stared at draco, eyes widened and mouth agape. harry? since when had draco ever called him that?_

_“no more potter?” harry had asked, an amused tilt to his voice. harry realised he quite liked the way his first name rolled off draco’s tongue. draco shrugged. “trying out something new. you can start calling me draco too, i wouldn’t mind.” this earned a choked squawk from harry. draco only laughed._

“i would’ve thought he’d figure it out. considering i did it the day after he suggested it. but he just nodded and returned to his book. he even ignored me for the entire day after that!” blaise and pansy only laughed which earned a scowl from draco. 

“guess you’re going to have to try harder, dragon.”

%%%%%

it’s been almost two months since draco had unofficially started courting harry, and the poor boy still didn’t notice. at this point, draco was a fraction closer to giving up and just snogging harry senseless the next time he saw him. 

if anything, things weren’t improving much either on harry’s side. he still thought draco was courting someone else which was already painful enough. hermione and ron certainly wasn’t of any help either. to top it all off, harry still had to give draco advice and hear him talk about that stupid git like he had climbed up on the moon and put stars in the sky. _seriously, what was so good about that boy anyway?_

harry was a patient boy, he really was. but people snap. and so, that was what harry did one night. he snapped.

him and draco were sitting on top of the astronomy tower and harry had to listen to the other boy talk about his dumb crush again. harry had to listen to the slytherin talk about the boy like a lovesick idiot, harry had to bear with the stupid ache in his heart, harry had to bear giving advice to draco day after day and watch as draco got happier by the minute (seemingly, because every advice harry gave worked. _why did harry have to be so good at advice anyway?_ ), harry had to watch draco fall deeper in love with someone that wasn’t him. merlin, there was only so much one could handle.

“for merlin’s sake draco, i can’t do this anymore!”

this earned harry a surprised look from draco, who had now turned around towards harry. “harry.. are you crying?” it was only then that harry realised the wetness of his cheeks, _and merlin, was he so stupid to be crying over something so small as this? he’d agreed to help draco out anyway, and now he’s crying. screw the fact that he was the chosen one, savior of the wizarding world and all, harry felt like the smallest and dumbest git ever right now._. 

harry was a gryffindor after all, and weren’t gryffindors supposed to be brave and courageous? right now, harry seemed to just be crumbling. and as draco leaned in to give harry a hug, harry pushed the boy away, ignoring the way draco’s eyes fall.

“i can’t... i can’t sit here and hear you talk about this stupid git anymore. i can’t hear you talk about how much you love him or want to make him happy. i can’t give you advice on the right way to court him because... because...” well, screw it. who cares if he lost his friendship with the slytherin boy after this anyway? he was harry, harry potter, the chosen one, literal savior of the wizarding world. if he could defeat voldemort with _expelliarmus_ , he could certainly get over a certain grey-eyed, platinum blonde haired boy. “i’m in love with you, draco. i can’t do this anymore because i’ve fallen in love with you.”

and as if realising the sudden weight of his own words, harry ran, not caring about the way draco shouted after him.

%%%%%

draco didn’t know what to do.

sure, he was happy that harry returned his feelings. he was happy that harry had literally told him that he was in love with him. salazar, this was not the way he expected it to go down though. the next day, no matter how many times draco had tried to talk to harry, the other boy would run away before he even got the chance to walk up to him. draco felt helpless, defeated. how was he supposed to tell harry that he loved him too when the boy wouldn’t even let him speak?

it didn’t help that pansy and blaise were laughing at his demise. _really, such helpful friends he had._ the next resort draco could come up with were granger and weasley who he wasn’t exactly on the best of terms with. and so, as much as he didn’t want to, draco met up with the two a week later.

“harry confessed? to you? then ran away?”

draco had rolled his eyes. “why else would i be here, weasley?” ron flipped him off.

“that’s why harry has been sulking all day. has he been ignoring you?”

“yes, if that wasn’t already obvious. seriously, for someone who played such a huge part in defeating the dark lord, you’d think your brain would work a bit quicker.”

“shut up, ferret!”

“ _you_ shut up, weasel!”

hermione had to spend 5 minutes trying to break the two apart from a fight before being able to resolve draco’s issue.

“go to the astronomy tower tonight. i’ll get him to meet you there.” draco forced a smile– a genuine one– before thanking granger and scowling at weasley, earning him another middle finger.

%%%%%

harry had been standing at the astronomy tower for ages. hermione had asked him to meet her here and yet she was late. not to mention that every time harry let his thoughts linger, he remembers confessing to draco on the very spot he was standing on. _seriously, he’d kill hermione when she got here._

when harry heard footsteps, he had fully expected to see hermione. instead he saw platinum blonde hair and squeaked. _what was draco doing here? was he here to meet someone? was this a set up? did hermione– oh._ harry frantically looked around for a place to hide but to no avail because draco had grabbed onto his arm before harry could even make a run for it. 

“draco, hi. i’m actually supposed to meet hermione but guessing that you’re here, i’ll leave. no big deal, really–“ draco squeezed onto harry’s wrist tighter. “i asked hermione to get you here. i need to talk to you, harry.”

_great, this is how harry was going to get rejected. the great savior of the wizarding world, the bloody chosen one getting rejected on top of the astronomy tower. he could literally have anyone he wants, with all the boys and girls alike flocking at his feet, and yet here he was awaiting his rejection from someone who he wasn’t even on good terms with until the start of this year. great, really. bloody great._

“will you just... will you let me talk?”

draco had sounded so soft, pleading. and harry felt his chest tighten. he took in the way draco’s cheeks looked a bit sunken in and the way draco’s eyes looked a bit redder than usual. harry pushed away the urge to pull the boy in for a hug.

“i... i didn’t mean for it to get this way. really. i’m sorry if i hurt you.” harry shut his eyes tight. _here it was. the rejection. the rejection harry had been trying so hard to avoid._ “it’s just that... pansy and blaise suggested it and at the moment, i thought it was such a brilliant idea. i guess i didn’t think about how you would feel.” _seriously, could draco just reject harry already so he could move on and get it over with?_ “i didn’t want to court you the normal pureblood way because i know you don’t like dramatics and so i thought asking you on ways to court you would be a good idea.” _yes, you asked me on how to court– wait, what?_ harry choked, eyes widening as he looked at draco.

“i guess i didn’t think that you couldn’t figure it out. but i seriously thought you could. it got pretty obvious. salazar, i brought you treacle tart, harry! on the day where treacle tart wasn’t even being served! i had to beg the kitchen elves to make me some so i could give them to you. i asked you to play quidditch with me in the dead of the night. i started calling you by your first name right after you came up with the idea. for merlin’s sake, i even gave you my favourite scarf because you said you liked how it felt!” harry’s eyes widened as the events of the past few months replayed in his head. _godric, was harry really that oblivious?_

“i guess i should’ve just told you the truth from the start. but better late than never, right?” harry heard draco take in a deep breath. harry didn’t realise he’d been holding his own. “i love you, potter. salazar, i love you so much. i like your mop of a hair... although i really think that if you just combed it...” harry glared at draco, which only made him chuckle. “...i like the way your eyes light up when you talk about quidditch, i like the way you bite on the tip of your quill and how your eyebrows knit together when you’re focused, i like the way your eyes sparkle every time you stare at the stars in the sky. i don’t mind begging the kitchen elves to make treacle tart so i can bring them to you just so i can see your face light up, and that’s coming a lot from a malfoy. i want to bring you to hogsmeade on dates and i really like seeing you in my scarf. although i think i’d prefer it more if i saw you in nothing at all.” this earned draco a slap on the chest from an _extremely_ red harry.

“so, all this time, you were asking me on ways to court _me?_ ” draco rolled his eyes, slowly putting his arms around harry’s waist and pulling the boy closer. “seriously, i think i made it pretty obvious that it was you. you’re pretty clueless for someone who saved the wizarding world.” 

harry buried his head in draco’s chest, feeling his entire face grow hot. he could smell draco’s cologne and the faint scent of peppermint. harry found it intoxicating and found himself liking the smell of _draco malfoy_ quite a lot. draco cupped harry’s face in his hands and looked at him in the eye, clearly using his extra few inches to an advantage. 

as softly as draco could say it, to the point that harry almost missed it if he wasn’t pressed up so close to the other boy, draco whispered. “do you still love me?”

and as harry smiled and grabbed the pale boy’s face into his own hands while leaning in, as draco met his lips halfway and _merlin, this was everything harry had ever hoped for_ , as harry relished in the way draco smiled into the kiss and the way the boy’s soft lips felt against his, harry couldn’t feel happier. because draco loved him, _draco malfoy loved him back_ and there was no feeling better than that.

**Author's Note:**

> this fic idea has been stuck in my mind for days i had to do something about it.
> 
> leave a kudos and a comment if u liked it :)


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